MAHIKENG MAIL – MAHIKENG: The SANSBOCNW recently met with the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management (CS&TM) to discuss the scholar transport services non-payment crisis.
This crisis may lead to a halt in operations next week when schools reopen on 15 January.
Additionally, concerns were raised about the Department of Finance closing the system while there was a backlog in scholar payments, allegedly due to cash flow problems.
The organisation has expressed serious concerns over the non-payment of scholars’ transport services for over three months, resulting in financial stress.
Most operators are experiencing severe financial difficulties, operators are struggling to pay debts and buses could not be repaired during school holidays. Also, drivers and creditors have not received payments.
SANSBOCNW said if urgent attention was not given to resolve this crisis, operators may face bankruptcy. Furthermore, allegations suggest that some operators were being paid while others are not, as part of a “divide and rule” strategy.
There are also reports of outside operators being placed on standby to take over the service if unpaid operators cannot operate next week. However, the organisation will not allow this intervention in the province.
To address this issue, the Department of CS&TM and SANSBOC have agreed to convene a general meeting for all scholar operators, scheduled for tomorrow (Friday, 10 January) in Mahikeng. The meeting will discuss the matter and determine the way forward.
The fate of schools’ reopening lies with the department of CS&TM and the Department of Finance.
